Bangladesh: Elections

(asked on 9th October 2018) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the fairness of the recent local elections in Bangladesh.


Answered by
 Portrait
Mark Field
This question was answered on 16th October 2018

There were credible media reports of irregularities at recent local elections in Bangladesh, including those in Barishal, Rajshahi and Sylhet in July. We have consistently encouraged the Government of Bangladesh and opposition parties to engage in an effective dialogue to lay the groundwork for free, fair and pluralistic elections, including the general election due to take place at the end of this year. I made these points to senior members of the Government of Bangladesh, including State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, and members of the main opposition party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, during my visit to Bangladesh from 29 June to 1 July this year. The Foreign Secretary made these points to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when they met on 24 September at the UN General Assembley in New York.

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